The former rebels’ leader called Koirala’s death an “irreparable loss” to the ongoing peace process, which has been stalled since political parties have not been able to decide on the fate of the thousands of Maoist former rebel fighters who have been confined to UN-monitored camps for years.
Koirala’s daughter, Deputy Prime Minister Sujata Koirala, said her father was worried about the country in the last days of his life and tried work out an agreement between the political parties.
Koirala had been taken to his daughter’s house earlier in the week after several days in the hospital. He had heart problems and had been hospitalized several times in the past few months.
Koirala was president of the Nepali Congress party and led the mass street demonstrations in 2006 that forced then-King Gyanendra to give up his authoritarian rule, reinstate Parliament and appoint Koirala as caretaker prime minister. Soon after that, Koirala’s government stripped Gyanendra of all his powers and command of the army.
Gyanendra was dethroned and the centuries-old monarchy abolished in May 2008. Soon after that Koirala stepped down as prime minister to allow a new coalition government led by former communist rebels to take power.
